Evaluating the Potential Impact of Pharmacist Counseling on Medication Adherence Using a Simulation Activity

• Published in: American journal of pharmaceutical education Vol. 78; no. 9; p. 169
• Main Authors: Volino, Lucio R., Das, Rolee Pathak, Mansukhani, Rupal Patel, Cosler, Leon E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15.11.2014; Elsevier Limited; American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
• Subjects: adherence; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitude to Computers; Behavior; Class Size; Compliance; Computer Simulation; Computer-Assisted Instruction - methods; Core curriculum; Counseling; Curriculum; Curriculum Design; Drug dosages; Drug stores; Drug therapy; Education, Pharmacy - methods; Food; Food-Drug Interactions; Gluten; Group Activities; Health care policy; Health education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Individual Counseling; Information sharing; Lecture Method; Medication Adherence; Mortality; Patient Education; Patients; Pharmaceutical Education; Pharmacists; Pharmacy; Professional-Patient Relations; Psychotherapy; Simulation; student; Students; Students, Pharmacy - psychology; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teachers' Topics; Teaching - methods; pharmacy; counseling; student; adherence; simulation
• ISSN: 0002-9459; 1553-6467
• DOI: 10.5688/ajpe789169

Objective. To evaluate the impact of counseling in a simulated medication adherence activity. Design. Students were randomized into 2 groups: patient medication monograph only (PMMO) and patient medication monograph with counseling (PMMC). Both groups received a fictitious medication and monograph. Additionally, the PMMC group received brief counseling. A multiple-choice, paper-based survey instrument was used to evaluate simulated food-drug interactions, adherence, and perceptions regarding the activity’s value and impact on understanding adherence challenges. Assessment. Ninety-two students participated (PMMC, n=45; and PMMO, n=47). Overall, a significantly higher incidence of simulated food-drug interactions occurred in the PMMO group (30%) vs the PMMC group (22%) (p=0.02). Doses taken without simulated food-drug interactions were comparable: 46.2% (PMCC) vs 41.9% (PMMO) (p=0.19). The average number of missed doses were 3.2 (PMMC) vs 2.8 (PMMO) (p=0.55). Approximately 70% of the students found the activity to be valuable and 89% believed it helped them better understand adherence challenges. Conclusion. This activity demonstrated the challenges and important role of counseling in medication adherence.